For a girl who was known as impulsive and spontaneous, to those that knew her, she was too predictable for her own good. Perhaps it was just Kevin who seemed to know her; he always knew where to find her.

Standing in the moonlight, barely able to breathe, she had been standing looking at the front door for over an hour. Trying, struggling with herself decide whether or not she was ready to face what lay behind it. Over the past months, she had felt so alone, completely isolated from her family and the friends who she used to depend on. And now, after all the time that had passed, she should have been used to it.

"This is always the hardest part. It's just to hard to face the house, the room, that they lived in, because now it's so empty, without them. It just doesn't seem the same at all, does it?" a quiet voice said, as Brianna felt a soft hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know if I'm ready to go in there. I don't think I can do it, Kevin. Not alone," she said.

"But you have to. You left the day after she died, Brie. You weren't there for the funeral, any of the normal things that go along with dying. You've had no closure, and until you do, it's going to hurt like hell," he advised her, his voice soft in the dark.

"And I hate it! Because, the only thing that is keeping me from going through that door, is the fact that when I do, it's going to be a harsh realization that I'm alone, and that I have nobody. And that is what is so horrible about this! Because try as I may to be an independent person, to be strong all the time, eventually I have to admit that I need someone. Me!! I'm supposed to be the needed one, not the needy!" she cried.

"You never really know what you need until it's staring you in the face. Just go on, Brie. I'll wait for you out here," Kevin said, encouraging her. She sighed, and scrunching her eyes as tight as she could, she blindly reached for the door and walked into her house.

It was exactly the same as she had last seen it. Neat, comfortable, at some points elegant, but mostly, it was a place that you could walk into the foyer and instantly know that you were home. Except for the giant hole in the floor of the second story, that is.

She walked slowly around to the kitchen, and then gazed outside at the deck and the swimming pool. Too many memories for her waited in that backyard, so she turned away. And then turned back, as something moving caught her eye. With a gasp, she opened the door and stepped outside.

"What are you doing here?"

"Brie? Is that really you?" Nick asked, looking scared as hell when he turned around, to see her there. He had just been sitting there, thinking about their friendship, and all the times they had spent together, feeling sorry for himself because he had lost it.

"You have no right to be here."

"I know…But I had to come, because this is where I feel the closest to you, ya know?"

"No, I don't. We stopped understanding each other a long time ago. I was just too stupid to realize it, Nick," she said, sighing as she sat down, her legs swinging over the edge of the deck.

"What happened to us, Brie? I don't think that anyone has ever understood me the way you do, and now…" Nick trailed off, sitting down beside her.

"You grew up, fell in love, and didn't need me anymore. And me, being the person I am, despised that you found someone else to depend on, that there was someone who actually needed you, and decided to be the bitter, heinous bitch about it."

"I'll never understand you, I think that's part of it. I don't think anyone ever will, except for Kevin of course, he really seems to get you."

"He does, doesn't he?" she smiled.

"So…why are you here?" Nick asked nervously.

"I was abducted by a popstar."

"What?"

"Long story. Nick, I know you want me to be at your wedding, but I just don't think that I'll be able to go. And look, it's not because of what happened to us, because I think I've matured enough to realize where you were coming from. I understand, now, why you seemed so happy. I thought it was because my mom had died, and that your girlfriend was going to be able to see. But then, the truth was brought down on my head by an anonymous source, and I know that you were just grateful that there was purpose, a greater good, coming from her death. That's not really the issue."

"Then what is, Brie? Why won't you come?"

"Because every time I see Laurel, I'm going to see my mom. And I don't think I can handle that right now, you know? It would just hurt so much. That's why I've been so afraid to talk to you again."

"I understand. Whenever you are ready, I would really like to have my best friend back. Take your time, Brianna," Nick said. She nodded.

* * * *

Kevin was pacing around outside. He talked to Nick for a few minutes after he had emerged from Brie's house, but that had been over an hour ago. Nick had been sketchy on the details of what had transpired, but he seemed a lot happier than he had been a day ago. He was beginning to think that maybe she was just never coming out of there.

And then the door opened.

"Kevin, you knew he was going to be there, and you didn't tell me! Of all the horrible things to do, that has to be the worst. You are really making a horrible reputation for yourself, kidnapping me, betraying my confidence in you! I can't believe you didn't tell me!" she cried, storming past him, towards his car. She paused in her tracks for a second, turned around, gave him a quick hug, and whispered "thank you" in his ear, before preceding to open the passenger side of his car.

"And what do you think that you are doing, getting into my vehicle, woman?" he called out.

"Oh, so you think that you can just kidnap me, hold me against my will and not provide me with appropriate lodgings? You have to be the worst kidnapper ever!" she declared, sitting down.

Haven't heard complaints from anyone but you," he said, smiling.